Please I need expert horse advice - very urgent?

Question

Hi,

My horse (16 yr olf Througherbred mare) has a lump underneath her head and about 5cms from her chin (basically near her lymph nodes)

we had the vet out today and he is going to biopse it on thursday.

She has had it longer than a month, she is showing no signs of illness, she doesnt feel and pain from it, her breathing is normal and she is eating normally.

she is a 'live out' horse and has access to a field shelter, she has about 16 Acres of grass to graze in along with our other horse.

I do not think it is strangles as the other horse has never had it nor has mine.

The swelling is about the size of a walnut and is sort of soft yet slightly hard.

What could this be. I have heard it may be due to the build up of aluminium and mercury (found in vaccines), allergic reaction, abbsess (she has had a history of abbsesses in her foot), or some form of cyst.

Please help, all advice or ideas are appreciated,

Answer 1

Don't worry.  It could be one of several things and if she has no other symptoms is unlikely to be strangles.  

One of my horses recently had a lump which grew to about the size of a doughnut on his side just behind where my leg would go.  He has never looked so healthy so the vet said we'd leave it to see if it would go down.  After a couple of months he came back and removed it and it turned out it was just a ball of fat.  He said it may have been a kick or an allergic reaction to something.  Either way it was nothing to worry about and 3 wks later I was back on him.  He did look a bit like a pillowcase pony with a zip down his side for a few weeks with the scar!

Answer 2

My mare has a lump and it's a hands width behind her chin.  

Between the jaw bones.  She's had it for years and it's gotten no bigger.  I just chalk it up to being who she is.  You know..like how we have moles.  

Lemme go out and see if I can get a pic of it.

Hey..I looked and it's not what I thought.  It's the normal lump behind the chin (not a hands width away either) that most horses have.  My gelding has one but not my filly.  For some reason I was thinking she had a different lump.  Sorry.

I took a pic of it anyways.  No clue the name used for this lump! haha

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buckinfun/2...

Sounds like all you can do is have the vet see if it drains.  It may in fact be a harmless cyst.

Answer 3

i would say that it  is a cyst

Answer 4

It's probably nothing. A Gelding at my barn had something like you described, he's ok and the vet said it was nothing at all...she'll be fine.

Answer 5

im nt sure wot it is but i hope he'l b ok!

Answer 6

My horse had a lump that was a bit bigger and also soft yet hard like you described, behind one of his elbows on the underside right where the girth would go. He had it for almost 6 weeks before it went away. Turns out it was a reaction to a tick bite. So don't freak out yet. It's good that you're doing a biopsy.

Answer 7

Hi, you should never pre-empt the results of the biopsy, however it could turn out to be a simple cyst or just a fat lump.

Be patient and wait for the results.

Kind regards Steve

Answer 8

honestly - I wouldnt be too worried about it, let the vet do his job and see what he comes back with, but by the sounds of it it could be one of these unexplainable lumps and bumps that horses have a habit of getting in order to scare the life out of us!!

It could be something as simple as a reaction to a fly bite!!

Just hold tough until the vet gives her the all clear, which Im sure he will, and if shes not suffering from this lump, I really wouldnt worry about it!

xx

Answer 9

It could be drainage from her lymphnodes in her neck. If that is that case, there is no  need to panic. If the vet has been out, you are doing the right thing. Just wait until the biopsy results come back. By the way, why are you asking people on here if the vet has seen your mare?

Answer 10

This could be a couple of things: one would be an impacted tooth, like a wolf tooth, for example. The other thing I can think of would be an abscess in the gutteral pouch, which in horses is located just behind the jaw bones. A tumor is also a possibility, and your vet is wise to want to biopsy the swelling to get more information about it.

I am not inclined to think that this is due to strangles, especially since you mention that the mare has not had any symptoms which are consistent with an infection. Not all swellings in the face and jaw are due to this disease- and besides, this is the wrong time of year for your mare to be ill with it. Strangles is a fall and winter disease, not one that happens during summer. I have never heard of this vaccine buildup you have mentioned- and mercury is no longer used in any vaccine, whether for human or animals, because the preservative which contained it was banned by the FDA almost a decade ago now. As for the aluminum theory, that is even more far fetched. Aluminum has NEVER been used in any vaccine I have ever heard of, so I have to wonder where that comes from. It's not likely that this is an allergic reaction either, because if that were true, your mare would be showing other symptoms, such as itchiness, hives, etc.

Good luck, and I hope you find out what's going on.

Answer 11

Could be a salivary cyst, or just a ganglion.  If she seams well otherwise, then I should not think it is much to worry about.  The vet is just doing a biopsy as a precaution.

Answer 12

Google her symptoms that might shed a bit of light, as she is not looking or behaving like she is ill I wouldn't worry too much just yet! It could just be a thorn or something in there that needs removing!!

Answer 13

It could also be a bee sting if she is outside all the time. We get those sometimes especially this time of year. Since the vet is going to biopsy it try not to worry unless the vet or the horse give you reason too.

If buckinfun is going to give you a picture than compare the two if you can.

Answer 14

Sounds like a sarcoid to me. Fairly common and as far as I know it's not painful for the horse, unlike an abcess. However, if a horse is going to get sarcoids in it's lifetime it's usually earlier than age 16.

Sarcoids affect the skin and tissue underneath, usually in places with thin skin, less hair, and where sweat can build up.

There's lots of ways of treating them and they're usually nothing to worry about.

It could also be pappilloma, although I doubt it as they usually form in clusters on the muzzle in much younger horses. These are small, more like human warts.

I should think if it was to do with the lymph nodes, the whole area would swell, not just one walnut-sized "ball" as you seem to suggest... but I'm no vet!

Good luck with the biopsy.

Just to add... may simply be a reaction to a fly, insect or plant as you say. How long have you owned her? If she's been in the same field (and country!) then you probably would have noticed lumps before if she reacts to certain bugs or plants, but it certainly shouldnt be ruled out.